Machine for packing matches.



C. F. SUMMERS.

MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27- 1914- 4 Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES:

% :NVENTOR {ZZZ/V ATTORNEY' If mwms versus an mwm-uma. WASHINCmN. u c,

C. F. SOMMERS- MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1914.

1,21 1,773. Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESSES: INVENTOR BY I M ATTORN\EY m: Nonms PEYERS cu. rwanxumo" wAsmm: ran a c C. F. SUMMERS.

MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-21.1914.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917,

m: Nrwms PEYERS co wow-mm WASNINCNN. :1

C. F. SOIVIMERS.

MACHINE- FOR PACKING MATCHES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. I9I4.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Jan.

I! I I I I III III IIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII IIIIl WITNESSES:

WATTORNEY CHARLES rnnnxsoivnunas, or SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'Patented'Jan. 9, 1917.

Application filed February 27,1914. Serial No. 821,409.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES FRANK S0M MERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Packing Matches and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the'invention, such as will enable others skilledv in the art to which it appertains to make'and .use the same.

This invention relates to machines for packing matches in box-trays.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine that will periodically deliver matches to the box-trays in such a manner that two superposed layers of substantially parallel matches are arranged in each box, theheads of the matches of one layer extending in one direction and the heads of the matches of the next layer extending in the opposite direction, so as to insure a level filling of the box-trays.

In the embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated herein, each box-tray to be filled is carried by an endless conveyer beneath a suitable match-delivering port of a hopper at which point the tray is raised to the delivery-port of the hopper, which is provided with a reciprocating cut-off blade.

This blade, immediately after the box isv raised, opens the delivery-port of the hopper, allowing a measured ,quantity of matches to enter the box-tray; the cut-off blade closes the delivery-port of the hopper immediately after depositing the matches and the box-tray descends sufficiently to clear the hopper. The box is'reversed or turned end-for-end and again raised to the delivery-port of the hopper, immediately after which reversal the cut-off blade again opens the delivery-port and allows a second supply of matches to be deposited in the box-tray, the matches lying with their heads opposite those of the first supply. The cutofl blade is then closed and the tray is again lowered toclear the hopper and is then carried forward by the same conveyer until the next succeeding box has arrived directly below the delivery-port of the hopper. The same operation then takes place to fill the succeeding box.

The primary object. of my invention 1s to provides; simple, yet eflicient meanswhereby matches may be periodically supplied to and arranged compactly and substantially box-trays.

parallel in box-trays, the lower half of the matches in the filled box lying with their heads extending -inone direction and the other half lying with theirheads extending in the opposite direction, the box remaining on its conveyer during its approach to and departure from the filling device. All the matches are fed to the box-trays from a single feed spout.

Another'object of my invention is to provide a simple and efiicient means whereby the filled box-trays shall be progressively and automatically removed from the conveyer.

Withthea bove and other objects in view, the invention comprises various novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts and the equivalents thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the. accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification wherein like characters Ofreference denote similar parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved machine for packing matches. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail of the pinion and guide for reversing the match boxes beneath the match hopper. Fig. 4: is a detail of the mechanism for raising, lowering and reversing the box-trays beneath the delivery-port of the hopper. Fig. 5 is a detail of the cut-off blade for the feed hopper and the means for actuating the blade. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of one of the conveyer-chain links. Fig. 8 is a part transverse sectional view taken on line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a detail of the means for intermittently moving the box-tray conveyer. Fig. 10 is a plan and side elevation of the means for starting and stopping the eccentric and reversing the In; the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of my invention, reference numeral 1 designates a supply trough, preferably inclined, into which matches are delivered in substantialparallelism with each other and with their heads extending in the.

same direction." The trough'is preferably, although not necessarily, arranged in close proximity to the discharging end of a match making machine, not shown, so as to suitably receive the matches therefrom.

The matches are adapted to be delivered cry-port of a stationary hopper 2. The

hopper is provided with opposed depending lips 3 adapted to' enter thematch'trays to guide the matches into the trays, and to aid in holding the trays in shape. opening and closing .of the match deliveryport of the feed hopper is controlled by any suitable means, as a cut-off blade 4, which is secured to a block 5 slidably mounted on'top of the-bracket 6, the bracket in turn being supported by the main supporting frame 7. The sliding block 5is connected by a pivotally supported link 8 with lever *9. This lever is 'fulcru'med at 10 and is operatively connected at its lower end by means of the side stud 11, Fig. 5, with a circumferential-cam 12. This cam is arranged on the periphery of the c'ammember 13 suitably mounted on shaft 14. The shape of the cam 12 is such as to effect the timely reciprocation of the cut-off blade 4.

A box-tray conveyer 15 is suitably supported at each end of the frame 7 and consists of an endless chain of links. A section of the conveyer is guided on a track 16 in such a manner as to travel in a straight path directly underneath the match delivery-port of the hopper 2. The outer ends of the chain-links are recessed to form a pair .of link-arms 17 and 18. Arm17 is provided with rack-teeth 19 adapted to mesh with the teeth of an intermittent gear 20, as shown in Fig. 9. The ends of the links are suitably hinged so as to allow the conveyer to flex as it turns at each end of the machine.

mounted on shaftp2l and provided with a I spring-pressed pawl 23. The pawl is adapted toengage .a ratchet 24 and rotate it downwardly at predetermined periods by means of the eccentric 25 mounted onshaft 26, which eccentric is connected to the housing by means of a suitable connecting-link 27. The intermittent or periodical movement of the conveyer will be understood by reference to Fig. 9. The means for starting and stopping the movement .of the eccentric tooause each box-tray on the conveyer to be brought to a stop and held directly under the delivery-port of the stationary hopper consists of a gear 28 and a circular cam 29 having a peripheral recess 30. The gear and cam are both mounted on shaft 26. Gear 28 is rotated. one complete revolution to each half revolution of a semi-gear 31 mounted on shaft 32 and is held stationary during the other halfrevolution of the semi-gear, by means of the semi-cam 33 mounted on shaft .32, the periphery of the cam seating The timely,

of the previously-mentioned cam-shaft 14 is mounted a bevel-gear 34. This gear is adapted to mesh with a bevel-gear 35 mounted on the lower end of a suitable vertically disposed shaft 36. Shaft 36 is provided at its upper end with a segment-gear 37. The action of. the segment-gear for imparting a semi-rotary or end for-end reversal of the box-trays being filled, is controlled by means, as a gear 38 and a circular cam 39 having a peripheral recess 40. The gear and cam are both mounted on shaft 14. Gear 38 is rotated one complete revolution to each half revolution of the semi-gear 31 and held stationary during theremaini-ng half revolution of the semi-gear, by means of the semi cam 33, the periphery of the cam seating in the peripheral recess 40 of circular cam 39...

During the time semi-gear 31 is in mesh with gear 38., as shown in Fig. 10, the boxtray reciprocating means, and box-reversal means are actuated, and the conveyerimpelling means held. stationary; and during the period that the semi-gear is in mesh with gear 28, the conveyer is impelled and the box-tray reciprocating means and box reversal means are held stationary. A vertically reciprocating shaft 41 Fig. 4 is mounted in the bearing 42. The upper end of the shaft is provided with an outwardlyextending arm 43, upon which is rotatably mounted a pinion 44. The pinion is provided with a boss 45 having a suitable recess or way 46 Fig. 3. Each chain-link is provided with a reciprocally-supported shaft 47, adapted to extend downwardly through each link and each shaft is provided at its lower end with a flanged head 48 adapted to be at intervals in the recess 46, The tipper end of each shaft 47 is provided witha box-tray holder 49 having a pair of opposed box-positioning guides 50. I Each box-tray holder is adapted to stop directly under the match-delivery-port of the hopper. The flanged head 48 of each reciprocating shaft 47 is adapted to be received in the recess 46 7 when the holder reaches the latter position. The tray-holders are thus guided when vertical reciprocating movement and semirotary movement are imparted thereto. The timely vertical reciprocation of shaft 41to bring the box-trays to be filled to and from the delivery-port of the hopper is controlled by any suitable means, as a side-stud 51 extending outwardly from the lower end of the reciprocating shaft 41 and operatively connected with an eccentric cam 52 formed in the side face of the cam-member 13.

The means for driving shaft 14 to impart motion to the various elements herein described consists of a chain 53 passing over sprockets 54 and 55, which sprockets are mounted on shafts 32 and 56 respectively. Shaft 56, may be driven by any suitable means, as a belt 57 running on a pulley 58.

The means for removing the filled boxtrays from the conveyer consists in a pair of suitably curved arms 59 spaced apart and adapted to engage the bottom surface of the box-trays near their lateral edges, causing them to gradually elevate in the holders and be removed therefrom as the conveyer advances.

The operation of my machine is as follows: Box-trays to be filled are placed upon the box-tray holders 49 at a point in advance of the hopper. They are then periodically impelled and brought to a stop under the delivery-port of the hopper. The box-trays having reached the hopper are next raised to the delivery-port of the hopper. Through the medium of the peripheral cam and connections, the cut-01f blade is then reciprocated, allowing the box-tray to be half filled with matches. The partly-filled box-tray then descends sufficiently, by means of the eccentric-cam 52 and connections, to permit it to be semi-rotated or reversed end-for-end by means of the segment-gear 37 meshing with pinion lt, the meshing of the gear and pinion being caused by the rotating movement of the shaft 86, which is actuated when gear 38 meshes with semi-gear 31. Following these operations, the box-tray is again raised to the delivery-port of the hopper; the cut-oil blade reciprocated to allow a second supply of matches to be deposited upon the first layer; this time with their heads extending in a direction opposite those of the first layer, owing to the semi-reversal of the box-tray. The filled box-tray is then again lowered, and by means of the gear 28, the semi-gear 31, the eccentric 25, the intermittent gear 20 and their connections the conveyer is impelled forward a distance suflicient to permit the succeeding box-tray to come directly below the delivery-port of the hopper and stop. The same operations are then repeated in filling the succeeding boxtrays.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for packing matches in box-trays, the combination with a match feed-hopper having a lower delivery-port, of means for repeatedly feeding matches therefrom into a single box-tray at a time, an endless box-tray conveyer for intermittently impelling box-trays to and under and away from the delivery-port of said feed-hopper, and means carried by the conveyer for turning the box-tray to a reversed position between each feed of matches thereto, thereby causing the heads of the matches of one feed to extend in a direction opposite the heads of the matches of a second feed.

2. In a machine for packing matches in box-trays, the combination with a match feed-hopper having a lower delivery-port, of means for periodically opening and closing said delivery-port to repeatedly feed matches to one box-tray at a time, an endless box-tray conveyer for intermittently impelling box-trays to and under and away from the delivery-port of said feed-hopper, means carried by the conveyer for imparting vertical reciprocating movement to said box-trays, and means carried by the conveyer for turning the box-trays to a reversed position between each delivery of matches thereto, thereby causing the heads of matches of one delivery to extend in a direction opposite the heads of matches delivered in a subsequent delivery.

3. In a machine for packing matches in box-trays, the combination with a suitable supporting frame, of a suitable feed-hopper having a match delivery-port, a cut-off blade arranged in said delivery-port, means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said cut-off blade, an endless link-conveyer, means for intermittently impelling said conveyer below said hopper, holders carried by the links of said conveyer adapted to receive the box-trays, said holders mounted at spaced intervals along said conveyer, means for imparting vertical reciprocating movement to said holders and to a single box-tray, repeatedly at predetermined intervals, means for reversing said holder and box-tray end-for-end at predetermined intervals simultaneously with the reciprocating movement of said holder, and means for gradually elevating said box-tray from said holder.

4:. In a machine for packing matches in box-trays, the combination with a feed hopper having a match delivery port, an endless link conveyer adapted to travel beneath said hopper at right angles thereto, the links of said conveyer carrying match-tray supporting devices, said devices adapted to vertical reciprocating movement and rotary movement, and means adapted to actuate said devices vertically and to rotate said devices intermittently, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof, I alfix my signa ture in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES FRANK SOMMERS.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. MARTINDALE, NELLIE M. ANGUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

